For the first 30 minutes, Montenegrin handball players were looking for an answer to the atypical style of play of Angola, who constantly found solutions and never allowed the "lionesses" to go to more than two points.
And then Bojana Popović got a chance to explain to her chosen ones what they had to do during the big break, and they obviously accepted her advice brilliantly and achieved a convincing victory at the start of the Olympic Games in Tokyo - 33:22.
The most dominant African selection started better, had a minimal advantage several times, but Majda Mehemdović brought plus two for the first time in the 12th minute (7:5).
The "Lionesses" reached that difference several more times, but could not increase it, partly because of lost balls, partly because of the defenses of the extremely large Teresa Almeida.
At halftime it was 13:12 and it was thought that it could be as difficult as five years ago in Rio de Janeiro, when the African women celebrated 27:25.
But the beginning of the sequel was furious. Đurđina Jauković scored her first goal after a clumsy attack and an almost lost ball and started a 9:1 series, in which Jovanka Radičević (she shot a perfect 12 out of 12), Mehmedovićeva, Tatjana Brnović, Itana Grbić and Andrea Klikovac also scored for huge and practically unattainable 22:13 in the 42nd minute.
There were no dilemmas until the end, so there was room for attractive moves and several masterful assists between Grbić and the winger - first, Majda left an empty goal for Jovanka, and the captain set up a goal for Dijana Mugoša in the same way.
Popović tried several tactical options, Mehmedović played at right back, and in addition to the convincing victory, it seems that Montenegro still has a lot of reserves. First of all in the back positions, because Jauković scored two goals, and Jelena Despotović didn't even register...
"Lionesses" play against Japan on the night between Monday and Tuesday, at two o'clock our time. If they win, they will practically secure a place in the quarterfinals.
The home team was powerless this morning against the world champion Holland (32:21).
MONTENEGRO - ANGOLA 33:22 (13:12)
Tokyo - Hall "Jojogi". Played without an audience. Referees: Alpaidze and Berezkina (Russia). Sevens: Montenegro 5 (3), Angola 2 (2). Suspensions: Montenegro 6, Angola 10 minutes.
Montenegro: Rajčić, NENEZIĆ (five saves), Babović (two saves), RADIČEVIĆ 12 (3), JAUKOVIĆ 2, Pletikosić 1, Mugoša 3, KLIKOVAC 1, Brnović 4, RAMUSOVIĆ 2, MEHMEDOVIĆ 6, Despotović, GRBIĆ 5, Vukčević .
Angola: SOUZA (two saves and two sevens), Almeida (five saves), Kizelete 2, Machado, Paulo 2, DOS SANTOŠ 4 (1), KASOMA 1, FONSEKA 6, DOMBAŠI 1, Pascoal, KAZANGA 1, Venansio 2, Karloš , GIJALO 3 (1).
Bonus video:
